The development of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark – An overview of the year 2023

During the year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DoCST) closely directed the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark to realized tasks assigned by the Provincial People’s Committee (PPC). With the enthusiasm and continual efforts, Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark has obtained remarkable achievements among which is receiving the revalidation certificate from UNESCO. This has brought positive changes to Cao Bang tourism, towards the goals of sustainable development and gradually transforming Cao Bang tourism into a spearhead economic sector.

Up to now, the Geopark Management Board has been promoting its advantages for networking, stimulating multilateral cooperation with organizations/ units in and out of the province, networking with other Geoparks and joining GGN, APGN events to widen international cooperation and promotion of Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark.  The delegation of Cao Bang Province participated in the 10^th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks in the Kingdom of Morocco (September 2023).

Geopark education in schools has been actively and effectively carried out in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training. 04 training courses whose attendance was 306 were conducted. The participants of the courses are the teachers in charge of “Geopark ambassador” clubs of Secondary and High Schools in Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark. Until now, more than 100 “Geopark ambassador” clubs have been established and actively carried out extra-curricular activities, field learning trips, geopark communication in schools and communities, organizing cleanups at geosites and responding to World Cleanup Day, etc.

The Geopark communication is frequently implemented via promotional materials, leaflets, News briefings and the website of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark; particularly, the caobanggeopark.com attracted nearly 3 hundred thousand accesses per month on average. Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark was also promoted at “Introduction of Cao Bang in Hanoi” Conference (October 2023) and Non nuoc Cao Bang Tourism Festival in Hanoi 2023 (December 2023).

Besides, the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has also been paying attention to the development of the Geopark Partner Network, livelihood improvement for local communities in association with the management and protection of heritage, culture, biodiversity and environment and sustainable tourism development. Currently, the Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark Partner Network consists of 45 official members, who have been actively participating in activities on benefit sharing in communities, cooperating and exchanging experiences in tourism business. Increasing the capacity of individuals, communities and Geopark partners through training workshops, field study tours and capacity-building workshops. In total, 13 workshops and study tours were organized and the attendance was 575, including study tours to Hanoi, Hoa Binh Province and Dong Van Karst Plateau UGGp, Ha Giang Province.

The DoCST closely cooperated with relevant Departments and Branches and People’s Committees of Districts and Cao Bang City to carry out tasks related to environmental and landscape protection and project appraisal and environmental impact assessment according to Letter No.2550/UBND-CV dated September 23rd, 2021 of the Provincial People’s Committee on product handover of the project “Defining heritage zones and proposing solutions for conservation and promotion of general values of heritage in Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark”.

Another outstanding activity is that the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has been paying attention to the investment of infrastructure system, and the management and development of tourism routes in Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark territory. The Province completed the infrastructure and organized the announcement ceremony of the 4th Geopark tourism route named “Times of Fire flowers” on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the Vietnam Tourism Industry (July 9, 1960 – July 9, 2023).

The tasks related to the preparation for the 8th Asia Pacific Geoparks Network Symposium in Cao Bang have been seriously and urgently implemented. DoCST consulted the PPC to promulgate the Decision on the establishment of the Symposium Organizing Committee and closely worked with UNESCO experts, asking for advice on the tasks in preparation for the Symposium: the Symposium program, a website for international participants to register for the Symposium, the Opening and Closing ceremonies, catering plan, etc. The Geopark Management Board carried out 8 training courses with an attendance of 575 for English teachers volunteering for the Symposium, members of the Youth Union, individuals and agencies working in the communications sector, tour agents, tour guides, transport service providers, and drivers.

Particularly, Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has always received effective consultancies from UNESCO experts. In March, August and November 2023, Cao Bang received working visits of UNESCO experts to Cao Bang on advising the preparation for the 8th APGN Symposium; conducting field surveys and assessing the development of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark and consulting the development of a tourism route connecting Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp and Dong Van Karst Plateau UGGp.
In the coming time, Cao Bang will take the duty of the host of the 8^th APGN Syposium. Next year, Cao Bang will also have to focus on recommendations of the UNESCO experts for Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark after the revalidation mission in 2022 and prepare for the 2^nd revalidation mission (scheduled in 2025).
Overviewing 2023, Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark received initial remarkable achievements in the development and promotion of the UNESCO Global Geopark label.
n 2024, with enormous challenges and tasks, Cao Bang is going to focus all resources for hosting successfully the APGN Symposium. Thereby, affirming the Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark tourism brand on the regional and global tourism map, contributing to attracting domestic and international tourists and escalating local sustainable socio-economic development. At the same time, showing the efforts of the Cao Bang’s authorizes and people in the preservation and promotion of heritage values.